Table 2 Stroke warning signs and risk factors reported by survey respondents answering open-ended questions
Men | Women | p | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
n | % | 95 % CIa | n | % | 95 % CIa | ||
Signs and symptoms | |||||||
Paralysis/weakness | 302 | 31.8 | 28.9–34.8 | 443 | 30.7 | 28.4–33–1 | 0.790 |
Dizziness/lack of balance | 301 | 31.2 | 28.3–34.1 | 439 | 30.4 | 28.1–32.8 | 0.721 |
Headache | 288 | 29.8 | 26.9–32.7 | 444 | 30.7 | 28.4–33.2 | 0.528 |
Altered consciousness | 151 | 15.6 | 13.4–18.0 | 219 | 15.2 | 13.4–17.1 | 0.775 |
Sudden difficulty speaking | 105 | 10.8 | 9.1–13.0 | 185 | 12.8 | 11.2–14.7 | 0.145 |
Blurred vision, loss of vision | 96 | 9.9 | 8.2–12.0 | 146 | 10.1 | 8.7–11.8 | 0.874 |
Numbness, dead sensation | 72 | 7.4 | 5.9–9.2 | 110 | 7.6 | 6.4–9.1 | 0.867 |
Confusion/disorientation | 54 | 5.6 | 4.3–7–2 | 79 | 5.5 | 4.4–6–7 | 0.911 |
None of the above | 195 | 20.2 | 17.8–22.8 | 295 | 20.5 | 18.5–22.6 | 0.861 |
No neurological symptoms | 133 | 13.8 | 11.8–16–1 | 191 | 13.2 | 11.6–15–1 | 0.720 |
Risk factors | |||||||
Smoking | 519 | 53.7 | 50.5–56.8 | 696 | 48.3 | 45.7–50.8 | 0.009 |
Unhealthy diet | 393 | 40.6 | 37.6–43.8 | 623 | 43.2 | 40.7–45.8 | 0.211 |
High blood pressure | 320 | 33.1 | 30.2–36.1 | 584 | 40.5 | 37.9–43.1 | 0.002 |
Alcohol | 460 | 47.6 | 44.3–50.7 | 583 | 40.3 | 37.9–42.9 | 0.005 |
Lack of exercise/unhealthy lifestyle | 313 | 32.4 | 29.5–35.4 | 386 | 26.7 | 24.5–29.1 | 0.002 |
High cholesterol | 244 | 25.2 | 22.6–28.9 | 361 | 25.0 | 22.8–27.3 | 0.912 |
Heart disease | 174 | 17.9 | 15.7–20.5 | 280 | 19.4 | 17.5–21.5 | 0.381 |
Stress | 155 | 16.0 | 13.8–18.5 | 256 | 17.8 | 15.8–19.8 | 0.270 |
Diabetes | 129 | 13.3 | 11.3–15.6 | 213 | 14.8 | 13.0–16.7 | 0.323 |
Obesity | 145 | 14.9 | 12.8–17.4 | 190 | 13.2 | 11.5–15.0 | 0.206 |
Dementia | 30 | 3.1 | 2.2–4.4 | 53 | 3.7 | 2.8–4.7 | 0.449 |
Atherosclerosis | 21 | 2.1 | 1.4–3.3 | 26 | 1.8 | 1.2–2.6 | 0.521 |
Atrial fibrillation | 16 | 1.6 | 1.0–2.7 | 18 | 1.2 | 0.8–1.9 | 0.407 |